#ICW2016: Varun Bahl’s Floral Fantasy
Looks like Varun Bahl’s love for posies hasn’t died down post his 2015 show at India Couture Week. And on Day 4 of India Couture Week 2016, the couturier did what he does best, steering clear from anything hardcore traditional yet giving his designs a classic, practical-meets-contemporary touch. No bridal reds, to say the least. Instead, his designs boasted of a neutral colour story, peaking from soft pastels like pistachio and blue to blush pink and fuchsia. What was constant though was the rich craftsmanship that he never fails to use in his creations.
While Bahl’s collection was “all about giving a bride the option to let her global sensibilities shine through with her traditional wear”, his pieces were dainty and dreamy floral concoctions echoing perfectly well with the Fantasy Bouquet. The silhouettes had a vintage feel to it; there were outfits that ranged from long skirts and blouses to floor-length anarkalis, all heavily-embroidered, beaded or both. Some of the designs juxtaposed sheer and sequins in fabrics like silk, georgette, and chiffon. What one couldn’t refrain from noticing in terms of the work on his creations is how Bahl has cleverly interwoven “silk cutdana work, appliqué work and scallop motifs on fabrics like katan silk, cutdana work, appliqué and scallop motifs on fabrics like katan silk, matka silk, raw silk and silk net.
The outfits for men as well were devoid of being loud and ostentatious, and in fact kept intact what I’d call floral serenity at its best, in the form of Nehru jackets, achkans, kurtas, and churidars. Without weighing down either the bride or the groom, all thanks to the intelligent use of lightweight fabrics, Bahl’s range is for those who aren’t about all things traditional and look forward to experimenting on their big day.
